Ottawa’s mayor now earns more than $200,000 a year to run Canada’s capital, following three years of raises for elected officials.
A report for the Finance and Corporate Services Committee shows Mayor Mark Sutcliffe earned $213,689 in 2024, while Ottawa’s 24 councillors each earned $119,490 last year. In 2023, Sutcliffe earned $198,702, while councillors earned $111,111.
Staff say elected officials received a pay increase following a new collective agreement awarded to City of Ottawa employees in 2024. The new deal included a 2.5 per cent raise in each year of the three-year deal for 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The 2024 salary for the mayor and councillors included the retroactive pay increase for 2023. The annual salary for councillors was $116,735 in 2024.
Elected officials also received a 2.5 per cent increase for 2025 on Jan. 1. A councillor’s salary is now $119,654.
In December 2022, councillors approved a motion directing staff to review the remuneration for elected officials. Last May, the city announced MNP Business Consulting and Advisory Services LLP had been retained to review the salary for the mayor and councillors.
“MNP will conduct a custom market survey assessment to benchmark salaries and responsibilities for Members of Council against those of comparable municipalities across Canada,” Caitlin Salter-MacDonald, Ottawa’s City Clerk, said in a memo to council. “This will allow MNP to make a fair market comparison and assess the City of Ottawa’s competitiveness.”
Toronto city councillors earn an annual salary of $133,776, while the mayor’s salary is $225,304, according to the City of Toronto’s website.
